Sir Bob Neill
Local investment can reap national rewards
Sir Bob Neill feels the Budget was an opportunity to provide financial aid for councils, which in turn will help the Government deliver national policies – but has the chancellor taken the chance?
Autumn’s big Statement
Sir Bob Neill welcomes the Autumn Statement’s response to councils’ calls for action on the Local Housing Allowance but is concerned by what little there was on adult social care and looked-after children.
Listen to the local
Party conferences are long on rhetoric but leave local government with more questions than answers, argues Sir Bob Neill.
The trust question
Sir Bob Neill says it’s time to rebuild faith in politics and the ability of the democratic process to do good at all levels – and local government has an especially important role to play.
Twisty tail to devolution
More consensus is needed before we are forced into ultra-low emissions zones, writes Sir Bob Neill.
A solid plan for planning
Sir Bob Neill examines how a consultation on increasing planning fees will set in motion long-lasting improvements to benefit the communities planning departments serve.
Taking on toxic times
Threats of violence, misogyny, racism and homophobia are all part and parcel of modern-day politics, writes Sir Bob Neill.
The art of levelling up
While Parliament struggles to define levelling up, Sir Bob Neill suggests it is not about sending Manchester a cut-price imitation of the English National Opera.
A warning about resettlement
Six months after Putin launched his attack on Ukraine, unease is growing across Whitehall and council offices about the number of refugees who could be left without a home, says Sir Bob Neill.
Time for clarity
With the contenders for the Conservative Party leadership race narrowed down to two, staunch Rishi Sunak backer Sir Bob Neill wants them to lay out a far more comprehensive package of policies.
Home truths
Sir Bob Neill says it’s vital that, with the Social Housing (Regulation) Bill having been introduced, local government brings its expertise to bear in the forthcoming discussions – with three areas key to the conversation.
Boring not bad
Sir Bob Neill says this wasn’t a Queen’s Speech packed with surprises, ‘but if dull means getting the job done, let’s welcome the dull’.
Clear up the logjam
We need more work on systems which aren’t up to scratch to bring Ukrainians to the UK, says Sir Bob Neill – but the improvements required will put further pressures on local authorities.
It’s time to tackle the in-tray
Michael Gove has been given a new beefed-up department and strong team with a serious policy background – and he will need it to tackle a tough brief, says Sir Bob Neill.
Who will crack care?
The Government must raise enough funding to end the unsatisfactory adult social care system and ensure a skilled workforce is both attracted and retained, writes Sir Bob Neill.
Virtual judgements v real impact
Councils should have the choice of holding remote meetings, not just during the pandemic but afterwards too, says Sir Bob Neill.
Build back beautiful
A new report puts forward a hyper-local approach to overcoming the housing crisis, with councils the recipients of the tax levied on the uplift of developments. The proposals should be taken seriously, says Sir Bob Neill.
An inflammatory situation
While fixing the cladding scandal may be a bitter pill for ministers to swallow, by not addressing it now, in full, we only create a false economy, says Sir Bob Neill.
Hand in hand to collaboration
Sir Bob Neill says a local, bottom-up approach has already shown itself to be the way forward for test and trace, ‘and central Government must now place its trust in local leaders to expedite the vaccine rollout’.
This global challenge needs a local approach
Councils should be given the resource and leeway to lead the charge in the battle against COVID, says Sir Bob Neill.